The Montreal Gazette, June 4, 2002

St. John's Bach has class, flash

Despite her reputation as a photogenic firebrand, this Canadian is a thoughtful and discriminating musician. The tone she applied to the music was pure, silky and well within the boundaries of current baroque taste. Phrases were discrete, vibrato was selective and ornaments had the stamp of truth. There was nothing here for the historical censor board to condemn.

Except perhaps the wealth of personal expression. The held note on which St. John entered the Adagio of the E Major Violin Concerto (BWV 1042) was remarkably seductive and her quiet playing in the Andante of its counterpart in A Minor (BWV 1041) filled the hall without effort. Both slow movements were rich in philosophy.

Arthur Kaptainis